THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
January 23rd, 2013
Volume VII, Edition VI
TODAY'S POLL: Will 2013 be Mark Martin's last year driving in the Sprint Cup Series? Click here to vote!
NOTE: Look for some special Newsletter editions this week with the NASCAR Sprint Media Tour. Amy Henderson and Mike Neff will be there with full coverage, along with reports from Tom Bowles and several of your Frontstretch favorites. Keep an eye on the website this week, because we're slowly coming out of "hibernation" with 2013 almost upon us!
Twitter: @TheFrontstretch
Amy's Twitter: @Writer_Amy
Mike's Twitter: @MNeffShortTrack
Top News From The Media Tour
by Tom Bowles, Amy Henderson and Mike Neff
REMINDER: Have an inside tip for the Frontstretch? A story no one else will tackle? Don't hesitate to let us know; email our Managing Editor group at frontstretcheditors@googlegroups.com with a promising lead or tip.
Earnhardt Not Fully Sponsored For 2013
At the Hendrick Motorsports stop on the Media Tour, just wrapping up as this posts the big news concerned sponsorship for the sport's Most Popular Driver. While claiming his three teammates were fully backed, owner Rick Hendrick said the team was still searching for a sponsor to replace AMP Energy on Earnhardt's No. 88. Eleven races, in total remain unfunded after the PepsiCo brand chose to scale back its efforts (the National Guard, in contrast will continue to back the team for roughly half the schedule). Hendrick claims he's looking for the "right fit" for the car and is prepared to run it without sponsorship if necessary; he claims the team has plenty of interest from companies looking to align themselves with the organization.
The price tag for the team remains a mystery but sources have claimed the sponsorship on the car ran upwards of $40 million at its peak. Earnhardt, however, has won just twice since moving to Hendrick prior to the 2008 season with the AMP/National Guard deal.
Chase Elliott To Run Nine Camping World Truck Series Races In 2013
Hendrick Motorsports Development driver Chase Elliott is continuing his progress through the system as he looks to follow in his famous father's footsteps. During the Hendrick Motorsports stop on the 2013 Sprint Media Tour Presented by Charlotte Motor Speedway, Rick Hendrick announced that Elliott will be making nine Truck Series starts and five ARCA starts during the 2013 season. The young Elliott will also be performing at least eight test sessions for HMS throughout the year. When his schedule allows, Elliott will also continue his local racing efforts with some runs in the bigger Super Late Model races around the eastern half of the United States. Those races, for now, will include the Snowball Derby and the Winchester 400. Once testing dates are finalized, it will be determined if he'll be able to run the World Crown at Gresham Motorsports Park or any other major shows.
The schedule, as it sits right now, for Elliott will include Truck races at Martinsville(2), Rockingham, Dover, Iowa(2), Bristol, Canadian Tire Motorsports Park and Phoenix. The eligibility rule for NASCAR allows drivers over 16 but under 18 to drive on any track that is 1.1 miles or shorter in length or a road course. The nine races for Elliott are all of the tracks on the schedule that meet that criteria except for Eldora Speedway. Elliott will also run ARCA races at Pocono(2), Road America, New Jersey Motorsports Park and Kentucky.
The trucks will be built in the Hendrick Motorsports shops but will be raced under the Bill Elliott Motorsports banner. HMS will be calling on some technical partners for assistance as they do not currently have a Camping World Truck program.
Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Announces Partnership With Cessna, Textron
On Wednesday, Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates and Chip Ganassi Racing announced a new partnership with Cessna and its parent company, Textron, which will encompass all of Ganassi's race teams in NASCAR, IndyCar, and the GrandAm Series. Cessna manufactures jets, while other Textron subsidiaries include Bell helicopters, Bad Boy Buggies, and E-Z-Go golf carts, among several others. Cessna will serve as primary Sponsor for the No. 1 Chevrolet of Jamie McMurray in the Sprint Cup Series for ten races in 2013.
Team owner Chip Ganassi told the assembled media that there are four races available for sponsorship on McMurray's car this year, and all other race teams are fully sponsored for the 2013 season. In addition to the ten races with Cessna, McMurray has primary sponsorship in select events from McDonald's, Dr. Pepper, Banana Boat, LiftMaster, and Bass Pro Shops (still backing the car in two events).
"Fans associate airplanes with speed," Ganassi said Wednesday, explaining that that association made for a natural fit with Cessna.
For the upcoming year, McMurray will again be paired with Juan Pablo Montoya in the No. 42 Target Chevrolet. Kyle Larson, the team's developmental driver is expected to run a full Nationwide Series schedule; announcements on his future, Ganassi claimed will come next week.
Tuesday Media Tour Notes
NASCAR Press Conference: Judge For Yourself. Click here to get the full transcript of media comments from NASCAR CEO Brian France, President Mike Helton and other top executives in the sport.
- At the Michael Waltrip Racing stop, no major changes were announced as Michael Waltrip emphasized the "status quo." There's a reason MWR is staying put, of course after two cars made the Chase while the third, shared by Waltrip, Mark Martin, and Brian Vickers registered seven top-5 finishes and was a contender for the victory at several events. The driver sharing will continue in the No. 55 for 2013; after that, though, the future is unclear with Martin stating on Tour he'd "like to see the team run for a championship." Martin, who turns 54 this season said it's way too early to speculate about his future with MWR and the sport.
Waltrip also emphasized that Clint Bowyer's No. 15 team, despite a runner-up finish in the Sprint Cup standings remains unsponsored for several events. Vickers' starts are also short on cash, although the team is committed to running the No. 55 car full-time regardless of whether that funding materializes.
Have an inside tip for the Frontstretch? A story no one else will tackle? Don't hesitate to let us know; email our Managing Editor group at frontstretcheditors@googlegroups.com with a promising lead or tip.
The Eyes Have It! Guess The Wrecked Race Car!
In this Facebook feature, we post a photo of a driver inside a helmet, and ask you to identify which driver it is based only on his or her eyes. But this week, in the midst of the Media Tour we're doing something a little different. We've posted a photo of wrecked race car pieces, ones that are on display at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. All the drivers walked away from the crashes in question: there are three hoods, a roof, and a deck lid. Can anyone guess where and when these are from and who was driving them at the time?
Go to our Facebook page to join the fun!
FRONTSTRETCH LINKS:
DRIVER REVIEWS -- A FULL SCHEDULE IS UP! FIND THE ONES YOU MISSED AND GIVE US YOUR TAKE ON YOUR DRIVER'S FAVORITE SEASON.
From the Media Tour:
From Crazy To Crazy Good: MWR Is A Contender Now
by Amy Henderson
NASCAR's Mantra For 2013: Racing To Innovate
by Mike Neff
Weekly Columns:
Did You Notice? ... NASCAR's Sponsor Search, Martin's "Retirement?" And Shocking Admissions
by Tom Bowles
REMINDER: Have an inside tip for the Frontstretch? A story no one else will tackle? Don't hesitate to let us know; email our Managing Editor group at frontstretcheditors@googlegroups.com with a promising lead or tip.
Earnhardt Not Fully Sponsored For 2013
At the Hendrick Motorsports stop on the Media Tour, just wrapping up as this posts the big news concerned sponsorship for the sport's Most Popular Driver. While claiming his three teammates were fully backed, owner Rick Hendrick said the team was still searching for a sponsor to replace AMP Energy on Earnhardt's No. 88. Eleven races, in total remain unfunded after the PepsiCo brand chose to scale back its efforts (the National Guard, in contrast will continue to back the team for roughly half the schedule). Hendrick claims he's looking for the "right fit" for the car and is prepared to run it without sponsorship if necessary; he claims the team has plenty of interest from companies looking to align themselves with the organization.
The price tag for the team remains a mystery but sources have claimed the sponsorship on the car ran upwards of $40 million at its peak. Earnhardt, however, has won just twice since moving to Hendrick prior to the 2008 season with the AMP/National Guard deal.
Chase Elliott To Run Nine Camping World Truck Series Races In 2013
Hendrick Motorsports Development driver Chase Elliott is continuing his progress through the system as he looks to follow in his famous father's footsteps. During the Hendrick Motorsports stop on the 2013 Sprint Media Tour Presented by Charlotte Motor Speedway, Rick Hendrick announced that Elliott will be making nine Truck Series starts and five ARCA starts during the 2013 season. The young Elliott will also be performing at least eight test sessions for HMS throughout the year. When his schedule allows, Elliott will also continue his local racing efforts with some runs in the bigger Super Late Model races around the eastern half of the United States. Those races, for now, will include the Snowball Derby and the Winchester 400. Once testing dates are finalized, it will be determined if he'll be able to run the World Crown at Gresham Motorsports Park or any other major shows.
The schedule, as it sits right now, for Elliott will include Truck races at Martinsville(2), Rockingham, Dover, Iowa(2), Bristol, Canadian Tire Motorsports Park and Phoenix. The eligibility rule for NASCAR allows drivers over 16 but under 18 to drive on any track that is 1.1 miles or shorter in length or a road course. The nine races for Elliott are all of the tracks on the schedule that meet that criteria except for Eldora Speedway. Elliott will also run ARCA races at Pocono(2), Road America, New Jersey Motorsports Park and Kentucky.
The trucks will be built in the Hendrick Motorsports shops but will be raced under the Bill Elliott Motorsports banner. HMS will be calling on some technical partners for assistance as they do not currently have a Camping World Truck program.
Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Announces Partnership With Cessna, Textron
On Wednesday, Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates and Chip Ganassi Racing announced a new partnership with Cessna and its parent company, Textron, which will encompass all of Ganassi's race teams in NASCAR, IndyCar, and the GrandAm Series. Cessna manufactures jets, while other Textron subsidiaries include Bell helicopters, Bad Boy Buggies, and E-Z-Go golf carts, among several others. Cessna will serve as primary Sponsor for the No. 1 Chevrolet of Jamie McMurray in the Sprint Cup Series for ten races in 2013.
Team owner Chip Ganassi told the assembled media that there are four races available for sponsorship on McMurray's car this year, and all other race teams are fully sponsored for the 2013 season. In addition to the ten races with Cessna, McMurray has primary sponsorship in select events from McDonald's, Dr. Pepper, Banana Boat, LiftMaster, and Bass Pro Shops (still backing the car in two events).
"Fans associate airplanes with speed," Ganassi said Wednesday, explaining that that association made for a natural fit with Cessna.
For the upcoming year, McMurray will again be paired with Juan Pablo Montoya in the No. 42 Target Chevrolet. Kyle Larson, the team's developmental driver is expected to run a full Nationwide Series schedule; announcements on his future, Ganassi claimed will come next week.
Tuesday Media Tour Notes
NASCAR Press Conference: Judge For Yourself. Click here to get the full transcript of media comments from NASCAR CEO Brian France, President Mike Helton and other top executives in the sport.
- At the Michael Waltrip Racing stop, no major changes were announced as Michael Waltrip emphasized the "status quo." There's a reason MWR is staying put, of course after two cars made the Chase while the third, shared by Waltrip, Mark Martin, and Brian Vickers registered seven top-5 finishes and was a contender for the victory at several events. The driver sharing will continue in the No. 55 for 2013; after that, though, the future is unclear with Martin stating on Tour he'd "like to see the team run for a championship." Martin, who turns 54 this season said it's way too early to speculate about his future with MWR and the sport.
Waltrip also emphasized that Clint Bowyer's No. 15 team, despite a runner-up finish in the Sprint Cup standings remains unsponsored for several events. Vickers' starts are also short on cash, although the team is committed to running the No. 55 car full-time regardless of whether that funding materializes.
Have an inside tip for the Frontstretch? A story no one else will tackle? Don't hesitate to let us know; email our Managing Editor group at frontstretcheditors@googlegroups.com with a promising lead or tip.
The Eyes Have It! Guess The Wrecked Race Car!
In this Facebook feature, we post a photo of a driver inside a helmet, and ask you to identify which driver it is based only on his or her eyes. But this week, in the midst of the Media Tour we're doing something a little different. We've posted a photo of wrecked race car pieces, ones that are on display at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. All the drivers walked away from the crashes in question: there are three hoods, a roof, and a deck lid. Can anyone guess where and when these are from and who was driving them at the time?
Go to our Facebook page to join the fun!
FRONTSTRETCH LINKS:
DRIVER REVIEWS -- A FULL SCHEDULE IS UP! FIND THE ONES YOU MISSED AND GIVE US YOUR TAKE ON YOUR DRIVER'S FAVORITE SEASON.
From the Media Tour:
From Crazy To Crazy Good: MWR Is A Contender Now
by Amy Henderson
NASCAR's Mantra For 2013: Racing To Innovate
by Mike Neff
Weekly Columns:
Did You Notice? ... NASCAR's Sponsor Search, Martin's "Retirement?" And Shocking Admissions
by Tom Bowles
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: In 1986, Roush Racing came within an hour of claiming class victories at both Daytona and Sebring in the GTO class. Two of those drivers were in the top Roush Mustang in both races. Scott Pruett was one of those drivers. Who was the other?
Check back next Monday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Frontstretch Trivia Guarantee: If we mess up, you get the shirt off our backs! If we've provided an incorrect answer to the Frontstretch Trivia question, be the first to email the corrected trivia answer to trivia@frontstretch.com and we'll send you a Frontstretch T-Shirt ... FREE!
Coming tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Mirror Driving by the Frontstretch Staff
Pushed back from yesterday, your favorite experts will convene to discuss some major NASCAR issues of 2012 -- and what the series faces heading into 2013.
------------------------------
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-- Talk back to the Frontstretch Newsletter!
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©2013 Frontstretch.com
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